<p>Hi everyone,</p>
<p>Does going to the International Astronomy Olympiad add to my application? I have heard about several cases where colleges ignore or do not pay equal importance to olympiads in which the US doesn't participate. How true is that?</p>
<p>It will add something to your application. However, the astronomy olympiad will not carry as much weight as the more prestigious olympiads (IMO, IPhO, etc.) because it is not as well established not specifically because the US does not participate.</p>
<p>Well, the IOL just came around 2003, while the IAO has been around since 1996. Yet, most of the colleges tend to prefer students with an IOL medal (at least from anecdotal experience).</p>
<p>Moreover, the Olympiads, irrespective of the subject, are the best predictors of success in THAT subject. In the light of this, a gold medalist at the Earth Science/Astronomy Olympiad cannot be compared to a gold medalist at IMO/IPhO.</p>
<p>He just gave you his opinion, why are you arguing lol? Oh god I don’t know what half of these acronyms mean. If you care about Astronomy and you did an Astronomy Olympiad that will help you. Will it help you as much as the Math Olympiad will help a math kid? No one can say. Good luck.</p>
<p>Sorry if I appeared to be arguing. No offense meant.</p>
<p>Another reason that the IMO is the most prestigious olympiad is that it is much more predictive of math success than other olympiads are predictive of other subjects. Roughly half of Fields Medalists in recent years are IMO medalists. I don’t think any other olympiad can make similar claims.</p>
<p>Yet another reason colleges might care more about IMO is that IMO success and Putnam success are similar skills and if colleges want to do better at the Putnam the easiest way is probably admitting some really good IMO medalists.</p>
<p>@unicameral2013 - What? Why shouldn’t people be prepared to defend their opinions? That’s how we learn.</p>
<p>Anyway, helloccworld, the point isn’t which Olympiad has been around the longest - that’s not what’s meant by being “well established”. Being well-established, in part, means having a certain amount of respect attributed, which often comes in the form of being a good predictor of success.</p>
<p>That said, I think adding it to your application can only help. You have an interest in astronomy, you pushed it as far as the Olympiad, and that’s definitely notable.</p>
<p>Of course Piper. But when someone gives you their advice, the most tactful response is not “Your opinion is wrong because of x, y, z, and in fact I already know the answer to my own question.”</p>
<p>But I understand that English may not be his first language so I was just trying to give a little constructive criticism. :)</p>
<p>Again, I wish you all the best helloccworld and I think the astronomy olympiad will be an asset to your application.</p>